Cleons Message
by Lady Alendria
Summary: Well, what can I say, its a c/k fanfic, but with an odd twist........ the 3 trouble makers are back..... Chap 5 FINALLY up!!!! R/R!!!!
1. The Message

**Cleon's Surprise**

**Chapter 1**

Kel was home from patrolling the northern border.  So, for the first time in a while, Kel was able to sleep in.  But Kel wasn't sleeping at the moment.  She was thinking about Cleon.  Kel couldn't believe that after only 1 month of not seeing or hearing from Cleon could make her miss him so much.  She sighed, "How I miss his colorful names for me.  To him I was the queen of squires, now I'll probably be the queen of knights."  Kel thought happily.

"Keladry," a deep musical voice called, "Kel, you're going to have to get up now.  You have a visitor." 

"A visitor?  Who is it Mama?"  Kel asked her mother.

Ilane of Mindelan smiled to herself, and said, "Kel, you'll find out who it is soon enough.  Just get dressed and come into the front hall as soon as you're ready."

"All right Mama, I'll there in a little bit." Kel replied.  "Who would be visiting me up here in the middle of the winter?"  Kel wondered, "Who ever it is they must really want to see me."

By the time Kel reached the doors to the front hall she could hear all of her nephews and nieces were already there.  She hoped that they weren't bothering her guest; they could be a pain most of the time.  Kel took a deep breath and smoothed her skirt and hair then opened the door.  She took a shaky step forward when suddenly someone shouted her name.  Before she knew who called her she was swept up in a gigantic hug.  The person kissed her soundly before she could pull away.  When she was finally free she looked at a man older than she with red curly hair.

"Cleon!"  Kel gasped before she started hugging him again.

"My sunshine," Cleon murmured, "I've something to tell you.  It's utterly important.  Your family already knows.  But I wanted to tell you in person."

Kel looked up into his eyes, so full of love.  "What is it?" she asked.

"Well," Cleon sighed, "It's about my mother, us, and my betrothal."

Kel looked up alarmed, and became confused when Cleon smiled.

"I," Cleon continued, "I talked my mother around."

Kel gaped at Cleon; true she loved him, but betrothal...

She looked at him, he looked so happy.  Suddenly Kel just needed to be alone.  She bolted out of the house and ran until she reached the stream where she fought the spridren.


	2. The Boys

**Chapter 2**

"Do you think she's here?" a teenage boy asked his 2 friends.  

"Ha!  She wouldn't be here!  She's probably at court finding a husband!" his friend replied.

"I hope you two aren't talking about Keladry of Mindelan." a third boy stated, "She went off 9 years ago to become a knight."

"Yeah, but even if she did she'll either be off getting herself killed, or she'd already be dead." the first boy commented.

"But you guys, the last time we tried to drown kittens we were caught." the third boy stated warningly.

"Shh," the first boy warned. "Do you hear that?"

Off in the distance they heard someone running through the brush calling Kel.

"Hey, there's a girl sitting on a log over there.  She's like crying her eyes out."  The second boy whispered returning from the stream.

Curious, the boys crept closer to find out who the two people were.  The person who had been running finally stopped.

"Kel," he murmured as he sat next to her on the log.  "What's wrong?  Do you not want to be married? I thought that was what you wanted."

"Cleon, I do want that.  But I don't think that I'm ready.  You should know that I just want to be a knight for a while. I don't want to become completely attached to someone that I might risk hurting by going to war.  And then there's kids.  Cleon, I'm just not ready."

"Kel, it will be worse if we didn't wed or become betrothed.  Then we would go into battles risking our lives wondering if we survive if we would still be able to be together.  But, Kel, I love you.  And I respect your choice.  I'll let you be; but if your worried about children slowing us, well mainly you, down.  Well, anything that you don't want to happen won't happen.  I'll leave now."

"No, Cleon, stay."  Kel whispered, tears running down her cheeks.  

Cleon slowly turned around, a worried look in his eyes.

"Kel?" he asked

.

"Oh, Cleon.  I didn't realize you cared so much.  But don't you want your name carried on?  And what about Mindelan, we need money."

"Kel, your parents don't care about the money, all they want is for their youngest daughter to be happy.  As for Kennen being carried on.  There is only one more person that I want to have that name.  And Keladry, my love, my one and only Queen of the knights, I want you to be Keladry of Kennen. If we were the last to Kennens to ever walk this wonderful land, I would be more than happy."

Tears streamed down Kel's face as she turned and buried her face in Cleon's shoulder, soaking his shirt.  Cleon stood and led Kel back to the manor.

"Wow, that person really loves her."  The second boy said in awe.

"Yeah, I've seen that Cleon person around.  He was Inness's squire, I think." The third boy stated quite gloomily.

"Aw, what's the matter Jeffrey? You like that Mindelan cow?"  The first boy teased his gloomy friend.

Jeffrey clenched his fists as a blush rose in his cheeks, he turned picked up the bag that they had brought to the river and dumped out the kittens at the rivers edge and marched off towards the village.  

"What did you do that for, Ross?" asked the third boy.

"Oh come on, I was just joking.  And any way Jeff doesn't like that ole cow, so I don't see why he got so angry."

"Well, if you didn't notice before, Jeff had been acting rather odd since she came home from the war.  I don't see how you could have missed it; I mean he was being really protective before."

"Brandon,  Brandon, Brandon, he was just acting that way because of what happened the last time we ran into her at a bad time, he wasn't being protective.  As for him acting weird, he's probably scared that we have several knights here when we're so close to the war with Scanra."

Brandon shook his head and looked at the little kittens thoughtfully.  After a few moments of silence Jeff came bursting through the brush, picked up the kittens and headed toward the manor.  Brandon looked up at Ross with that told you so look and quietly followed Jeff to see exactly what he was doing with those kittens.  Ross sighed aloud thinking that it wasn't possible that Jeff would bring those kittens to Keladry and claim that someone had tried to kill them just to get on her good side, it wasn't possible that Jeff, just a poor farmers boy could like Keladry.  A little voice in the back of his head said, well what about the Lioness and that George Cooper, he was just a commoner, a thieve at that!

"Oh great, now I have voices in my head _and a conscience! This it __not my day." Ross complained as he set off following his two friends._

  



	3. An Unexpected Visiter

**Chapter 3**

**An Unexpected Visitor**

By the time Cleon and Kel reached the manor Kel had relaxed and her tears were long gone.  They walked up to the main door and shared a quick kiss before entering.

Ilane came running with Baron Piers close behind.

"Kel, where on Earth did you go?  You left Cleon here in shock and us scared."  Piers scolded his youngest daughter.

Kel looked down at the ground, "I'm sorry.  I just needed to sort some things out.  And," Kel added looking up at her parents, "Cleon and I have decided that we shall be wed before any of our friends get hurt in this horrid war.  So, of course, they can see us.  I don't know what I would do if Neal weren't there to be the best man."

She smiled her warmest smile at Cleon, who was looking at her shocked.  Not 5 minutes ago she was saying that marriage would slow her down, yet she already had chosen a best man.  Not that Neal was a bad choice; he had actually been considering Neal himself.

Piers and Ilane gazed down at their daughter with eyes full of pride.  How much their little had grown since they sent her off to the palace to train to be a knight.  She had sworn that she wouldn't marry; and now, just like the Lioness, she was going off to be wed.  And best of all with someone that she dearly loved.

"How about over Midwinter?  The fighting should stop for a few weeks then, and I'm sure your friends will be able to attend."  Ilane suggested.

"Mid-Midwinter? Isn't that a bit soon Baroness?"  Cleon asked nervously

"Why no Cleon.  And since you're going to be family, please call me Ilane."  Ilane smiled at him.

"Er, all right… Ilane."

"Splendid.  Let's get started..."

Ilane pulled Kel to her room to freshen up then dragged her out the door towards the seamstress's shop.

"Mother," Kel begged trying to stop her mom from dragging her along, "can't Lalasa make what ever I need for me.  Her things are fit for Thayet, _and she makes them for me for free.  And anyway, she is a good friend of mine and she'd be insulted if she couldn't make my wedding dress."_

"Oh, right Kel.  I completely forgot about Lalasa.  We'll have to go down to Corus."

Kel whooped and ran back down the road to the manor.  She was so excited.  She would be able to see her younger friends that were still in training; and not to mention Lalasa and Stefan, and not to forget Gower and Salma.  Kel could hardly wait.  Seeing all her friends and getting married to Cleon.  What could be better?  Kel still knew the path back to the manor by heart so she didn't look were she was going, and ran right into a boy about her age carrying a sack and some kittens.  The boy fell down with Kel on top of him.  

"Oh, Goddess, I'm so sorry, I completely didn't see you there…."  Kel's voice faded away as she realized who this boy was.  Nine years ago he and two of his friends tried to drown innocent kittens.  "_What are you doing with those kittens?" Kel demanded, her voice had gone hard._

"I, um, was bringing them to you actually."  The boy started mumbling.

"Likely story.  Are you sure that you're not going to but those cats in the bag and drown them?"

"Well, if Ross gets a hold of them that's what is going to happen, so I thought that they'd be safer with you.  Um, Keladry, could you please get up?"

Kel had been so mad at seeing him with the kittens she never got up.  She mumbled sorry and stood, offering a hand to the boy.  He took it and Kel pulled him up, he stumbled into her and before he could regain his balance Brandon ran up with Ross close behind.  

"Jeff!"  Brandon called before stopping short at the sight in front of him.  Ross, who was rather amused at the whole thing said,

"Well well well Jeffery.  Looks like I was right." He had a nasty smile on his face.

Jeff pulled back from Kel and started towards Ross.

"How dare you." He started before Kel grabbed him and held him back.

Kel had recognized the other two boys as this Jeff's friends.  "So, the three of you, kittens, a sac, and me.  Doesn't this seem familiar…" Kel said smiling evilly.  "Now the only problem is that there's no lake.  Or is that were you were headed?"

Ross, unlike the other two hadn't seen Kel recently.  He stared at her his eyes wide in shock. _This was the Mindelan cow?  _

"I think that I'll take the three of you to my father, he'll set you straight.  Jeffery is it?" Kel asked turning her attention to the boy that she knocked over, "can you please pick up the sack and the kittens?"  She grabbed Ross and Brandon's arms and marched them towards the manor.  

"Kel!?"  Cleon stared at her.  "You leave with your mother and you come back with two, wait no three boys and five kittens in tow?  Maybe I should back out of this marriage now, you seem to, er, make, um, strange this occur?"

Kel giggled. She leaned over and kissed Cleon (much to Jeff's displeasure).  "Silly, these three broke the law nine years ago and were never punished for it, they attempted to break the same law, again, and they were caught, again, so now they're going to be punished."

Cleon smiled at Kel.  "Well, looks like Kennen will be rather peaceful with you running around punishing people with things that they did nine years back."  He leaned over and kissed Kel before starting back towards the village.

"Wait! Cleon."  Kel called.  He turned around.  We're going to Corus soon; I want Lalasa to make my dress.  That's were we could get everything done.  And any way there's much more stuff there that would be perfect for our wedding."

"Oh, alright. Then I'll accompany you back to the manor, how does that sound?"

Ross, Jeff, and Brandon looked at each other in disgust.  Keladry had gotten, well, too mushy.  What happened to the annoying cow that lived behind that stone wall of a face?

_*A.N.: I have a slight writer's block…so the next part won't be that great.  I really want to get this posted.  And anyways I didn't want Jeff to be put in the dungeons so I needed to come up with some way to get him to get out of it… but newayz this is part 2 of chap 3…_

Though the three boys didn't realize it Kel was listening to their every word.  Ross and Brandon were complaining to Jeff about basically everything…

"Why'd you have to go and take the kittens, Jeff?"  Ross complained

"Yeah, Jeff, why'd you do that?  You could've at least thrown them in the river, then go and hunt down Keladry for what ever reason you wanted to."  Brandon agreed.

"Well, it's cruel to drown poor innocent kittens.  I figured that in a place were there are lots of kids and grownups kittens would be welcomed."  Jeff tried to explain without telling the full truth, but Ross had already found out, who knows how…

"Are you _sure you didn't just "save" them to get on Keladry's good side?" inquired Ross._

Jeff, who at this point was VERY mad at him, just stormed up ahead of Kel and Cleon.

"I wonder what his problem is." Cleon stated.

"I don't know.  I think it has something to do with him saving the kittens that his two friends wanted to drown." Answered Kel.

"Oh, well, if he saved them don't you think that you should let him off the hook?  I mean he _is innocent."_

"But I don't know if he's innocent or not.  And anyway it's up to my father to settle this whole thing.  Besides, we're at the manor now."

The five of them entered the manor just as someone dressed in a squire's uniform came galloping towards the manor on a tired horse.  He jumped off the horse and approached the entrance completely out of breath.  

Kel was off looking for her father while Cleon was in the front hall with Jeff, Ross, and Brandon.  Cleon went to answer the door when he heard someone ring the bell. (_A.N. I know that there are no doorbells there, it's a regular bell that's rigged up (by magic and other things) so it can be heard through out the house…) _

"Owen! What are you doing here?"  Cleon asked his breathless friend.

"Cleon? What… never mind.  I need to talk to Kel.  It's very important."  Owen rambled.

"Well, sure.  But she's off looking for her father right now, she happened to find some troublemakers in the city today."  Cleon smiled and let Owen in the house.

"Oh, how great; two knights and a squire.  We're _so lucky.  And earlier we were hoping that Keladry wasn't here."  Ross mumbled impatiently._

Just then Kel came running into the hall; she had apparently found her father and heard the bell.

"Who's here?" Kel inquired as she opened the door to the hall, "Oh, Owen, hi.  I haven't seen you in a while.  How are things up at the border?"

"Not to good.  I have a note to give you.  The king sent it to the Stump, it was supposed to be for you, he didn't realize that you were here."  Owen handed the note over.

"Mithross!" Kel exclaimed after glancing at the note.

******************************************************************************************

A.N. Well, I'm done for now.  Sorry it took me so long to post this but I've had a writers block, a really bad one at that.  I also started another fanfic (Harry Potter) so that kinda has been consuming my time.  I still have a writers block, I'm surprised that I even got this chapter done.  If I get 5 more reviews then I'll continue, otherwise I'll stop because this is becoming a pain to write.  Oh by the way, flames don't count for the 5 reviews, neither do helpful criticism :Þ.

~Lady Alendrial~

        ^,,^

I just wanted to add this in case you ppl don't read the reviews (I posted one that basically says the same thing)

I'm working on the next chapter and I'm trying to write the letter, but there's one problem, I don't know Dom's real name.  I would take the shortcut and just write Dom, but it's from Jon so he wouldn't exactly call ppl by their nick names… I don't have Squire (if I did then this wouldn't be a problem :Þ) so could some one just review and tell me his name (the full name, like kel's is Sir Keladry of Mindelan) 

By the way, thanx 4 all the great reviews, if I find out Dom's real name the chapter will be up shortly.

~Lady Alendrial~

        ^,,^


	4. Archery, Daggers, and Magic

**Chapter 4**

**Archery, Daggers, and Magic**

"Kel, what's the matter? What happened?" Cleon came over and looked at the letter, "Great merciful mother!" he gasped.

"Kel? Are you all right?" Owen inquired at his friend.

"Does Neal know about any of this?  Or Buri?"  Kel finally managed to say after the long stretch of silence. 

"I don't think so, only King Jonathan, Lady Alanna, Lord Wyldon, and now you and Cleon."  Owen answered after thinking for a moment.  "Um, Kel, what does it say?"  He finally asked.

Kel took a deep breath and read, 

"Lord Wyldon.

            Can you please send Sir Keladry of Mindelan to River Drell near the Scanra border?  Some of the Kings Own is there.  Lord Raoul of Golden Lake and Malorie's Peak and Sir Domitan of Masbolle have been taken hostage.  We need to get them back as soon as possible.  Keladry has already taken over for the Kings Own so in my opinion she will be best for the job.  We also need back-ups there.  I am leaving it up to you to send at least 10 other knights along with Keladry.

King Jonathan of Conté"

"Well, that's not too jolly." Owen commented after a moments pause, "not jolly at all."

Kel gave him a weak smile.  Baron Piers cleared his throat and everyone jumped, no one remembered him coming into the room soon after Kel.

"Kel, I think that you should go pack.  You too Cleon, I'm sure Wyldon would want all able knights that don't have a post to be there, and Kel will need an escort." He added smiling.

"Papa," Kel said slightly embarrassed, "I do _not need an escort.  I'm a knight now, not some little ten year old that goes off fighting spidrens with a stick."_

"You fought off a spidren with a _stick?  I never heard that one." Cleon said with a grin on his face._

Kel turned on her heel and marched off to her room to pack for her trip to River Drell.

Meanwhile back in the entrance hall Baron Piers was thinking up a punishment for the three boys.

"Well let's see, you broke the law once, and tried to break the law for a second time.  Under normal circumstances a fine would be given to your parents to pay.  But I think you boys need a better punishment."  Baron Piers was looking at boys and sizing them up.  "Can you fight?" he asked suddenly.

"Err, a bit."  Brandon said, "I'm the best archer in the town."

Baron Piers just nodded and turned his gaze to Ross.

"I'm all right with daggers."  Ross mumbled uncertain.

Once again Baron Piers nodded and looked at Jeff, who was mumbling something under his breath.

"Can you fight?"  Baron Piers asked again this time directing the question to Jeff.

His head snapped up and he said, "Well, I'm not that great with physical fighting, but I do know some war magic."

Piers looked interested.  "War magic?  How do you know war magic?"

"My uncle, he is a war mage.  He visited us a while back, and taught me all about the art of war magic, since I'm the only one in my immediate family with the Gift."  Jeff muttered.

Piers nodded and walked out of the hall leaving the three boys standing there scared and uncertain.

"I hope that we're not being sent off to River Drell.  Can you imagine us fighting in the war?"  Ross stated after relaxing a bit.

Jeff and Brandon just gave him an uncertain look and attempted a weak smile in response before turning away and fretting over their punishment.

"Papa, why do they have to come?"  Kel whined at her father.

"Kel you know that Mindelan hasn't done much for the war, so I'm going to send those boys then I'll see if I can muster up any more young boys and possibly girls to come up and help.  It's the least I can do."  Piers argued back.

"But Papa you've done plenty.  All of your children have become knights and they've all helped in wars."  

"Keladry, you will listen to me.  Those boys are going to help you along with Cleon.  So just get Peachblossom and your other horse and get to River Drell as soon as possible."

Kel glared at her father grabbed her things before marching out of the room.   She confronted the three boys in the hall.  "What are your names?" she asked.

Ross stepped forward, "I'm Ross, that is Brandon and he's Jeffery."  He said pointing to his two friends.

"Alright then, what do you do?"  She inquired then as an after thought, "Fighting wise."

"Brandon's the archer, Jeff a war mage, and I'm good with daggers."  Ross replied looking cheerful.

"Okay then, Brandon, I want you to try to best me in archery, just to see how good you are," she added after seeing his face, "Ross you try to best me with knifes.  And Jeff, I'll just put you with the other mages. I hope you're good."   She gestured for them to follow her outside.  They waded through the snow to the archery range.  "Ten arrows each."  Kel said pulling out 20 arrows with different color feathers.  She handed Brandon the pink feathered ones while she took the blue.  "Do you have a bow?" she inquired.

"Err, no."  Brandon mumbled.

"Well get one from the armory."

When Brandon got back they each shot their ten arrows and went to see whose was closest to the center.  Ten blue arrows were clustered around the center along with eight pink ones.

"Not bad," Kel complimented him.  She then turned to Ross, "are you ready now?"  With that she headed in doors to put away the bows and arrows and to warm up for the fight with Ross.  

Ross pulled out his daggers and started his warm ups in the practice room off of Kel's room.  Kel entered shortly after followed by Cleon who looked amused.  She started her stretches and joked around with Cleon before turning to Ross.  "Warmed up?"  She asked him.

"Yeah," Ross replied.  He seamed very calm for a commoner who was about to fight the seconded lady knight in recent history. 

Kel started to circle Ross who calmly her every move.  Kel feinted to the left then struck him in his right arm. Ross dodged just in time before pulling a knife from his boot with ease and slashed downwards at Kel.  She blocked his knife with a clang while pulling another knife from her sleeve.  She cut at Ross's wrist while the knives were still locked together.  Ross cursed and dropped his knife just to pull another from the small of his back.  They went on like this for a while.  Finally Kel caught him off guard and her knife snaked its way up to his neck.

"I'm impressed."  Kel said in awe.  "You should have trained to be a knight."  Ross stared at her blankly.  "Go home you three and pack your things.  We set off at dawn tomorrow.  I'm in charge and you must listen to me no 'She's a girl I don't have to listen to her.'  The people that did that to the Lioness are all dead, because they didn't listen.  You are to report here an hour before dawn to get your mounts ready."  Kel lead them to the door and sent them off.


	5. Poor Dom

**Chapter 5**

**Poor Dom**

"Where am I?"  Dom asked looking around.  His head hurt a lot and everything was dark and shadowy.  

"Dom?  Is that you?"  A voice answered from the depths of the darkness.

"Raoul?  Do you know what happened or where we are?"  Dom whispered to his friend and commander.

"No, I don't the last thing I remember is a sharp pain in my head before everything went black.  But I still have a pain in my head so it couldn't have been that long ago that that happened."  Raoul answered.

"Yeah, that's about all I can remember too."  Dom sighed and leaned against the slimy wall.

They sat in silence listening to the distant drip of water.  Footsteps echoed around the room.  As the echoing footsteps got louder they could also hear the distinct jingle of keys on a key ring. 

"Raoul, you don't think that we were captured do you?"  Dom asked nervously.

"No Dom, I don't think we have.  It's probably a stupid prank Jon pulled trying to get me back for doing something idiotic back when we were squires."  He answered sarcastically.  "Of course we're captured.  And Dom, all great warriors get captured at one point.  Look at Alan-"  Raoul was cut off by a high pitched laugh.  

"Hear that brother?  They know that Squire Alan.  What a coincidence.  I captured him too."  A voice mocked.

Raoul made his way over to Dom and whispered.  "Do you know of any squires named Alan?"

"No, sorry I don't.  But I think that's because there aren't any.  But you were talking about the Lioness being held captive, right?  Could these be the people that did it to her?  And they just don't know what happened after she was knighted?"  Dom stated logically.

"Maybe…" Raoul trailed off.  "If they _are talking about Alanna, then I know exactly who they are."  He continued after a moment of thought._

"You do?" Dom cried forgetting to be quiet.  The man who had spoken slowly walked over to them.  A raw of light pass over him and Raoul's thoughts were confirmed.

"Jem Tanner." He spat at the man with great disgust.

"H-how do you know me?  And by that name?" Jem sputtered.

Raoul started to laugh, "Or should I call you Count Jemis?  I should've known you and you're stupid brothers would side with the enemy, well the enemy of Tortal at any rate.   The king'll find out what's going on.  He's not stupid, and he'll get rid of the three of you for good."

Dom started into the shadows at Jem, "you're Count Jemis? Brother to King Ain and Duke Hilam?  The person who killed Thor to capture Alann-ow!" he was cut off by a sharp pain in the leg where Raoul kicked him.  Jemis laughed at Dom.

"Ah, I'm famous in your pathetic Tortall?  Just wait, once I'm done with you two I'll never be forgotten!"

"Come brother, we have a war to win."  Duke Hilam stepped out of the shadows and dragged his half crazy brother out of the cell.  Dom and Raoul could still hear Jemis's crazy bursts of laughter echoing in the dungeons long after he was dragged away.

"This is great."  Dom sighed leaning against the cold slimy cell wall.  "When we need Kel the most she's lounging in Mindelan."  Jemis's laughter had died away and once again all they could hear was the distant drip of water.

_CHIRP!_

"What in Mithros's name was that?"  Raoul asked sitting up.

_Chirp!_

"Sounds like one of Kel's sparrows."  Dom sighed.  "I must be loosing it."__

_Chirp.  _

The chirping started to sound more demanding.  Raoul started to look around.  The cell was in complete darkness, the ray of light that had shone down from the ceiling was now gone.  He heard a slight rustle of feathers and was almost immediately blinded by the ray of light that shone directly into his eyes.  He felt something very light land on his shoulder.

_Chirp!  This time the noise was right in his ear.  Raoul held out his hand and a one legged sparrow hopped onto it._

"Peg?"  He asked surprised.  Peg chirped again and nipped his finger affectionately.  Dom looked up surprised that the sparrow was actually there. Peg flew back up to the roof and down again, this time carrying a piece of charcoal.  She flew up again and returned with a small piece of parchment.  Raoul quickly wrote a note and gave the paper to Peg.  She nipped at him again and flew out the hole in the roof causing the cell to be in complete darkness for a second.


End file.
